Changes Taking Place in Worship

One of the clear directives that came from our Vital Church Initiative consultation last year is that Brighton First can improve worship. From our hospitality ministry to the worship experience to visitor followup, we can enhance our Sunday morning worship. Our worship can be more inspirational and compelling. The consultant team, after interviewing members of the congregation, called worship at Brighton First "lack luster".

Over the last year, the worship staff and the worship committee have been working to make changes that make our time of worship an intentional time for connection to God and one another and spiritual inspiration. We are working to make worship a place where the Spirit of God is evident and a time that worshipers expect to be inspired and given hope.

These efforts have included creating a gathering time in worship (opening hymns) to help worshipers settle in. Times of prayer are led by lay people who compose prayers based on their study of scripture and personal prayer. All parts of worship are chosen to reflect a theme for the day and to answer the question, "How will this connect the people to God?"

We have worked to make worship seamless with musical interludes and rehearsals early on Sunday morning for all worship leaders. We have also been intentional about adding more visual components through video and images.

Our next step will be a system for long term planning. The worship committee is meeting monthly and is now planning into the summer of 2016. Our goal is to have worship service planning out as far as six months in advance.

Finally, I and others who design and lead worship have become very intentional about prayerful preparation for every worship service. My hope is that you will join us in praying that the Spirit of God might bless and infuse all worship at Brighton First.